From the Ashes
by Tyrammafar
Summary: OFFSHOOT OF BROKEN Calren is the son of Arya and Mecrac, the two elves that lead the elvish nation. Now that they are dead,he must deal with the terrible secret that they have left him with...that he is an abomination...the first and last weredragon...
1. Loss

**You may read this without reading book one, Broken, but it would be much better if you knew the entire back-story. However, if you want to be even more shocked and confused, keep reading! I hope that I can keep on track with this one, because I tend to lose sight of my original goals when writing. I will do my best to not let the plot in this one get out of hand!**

**Please review each chapter, if you have the time, as it helps me continue writing. I nearly gave up writing because I had no reviews, but thanks to Given-Inside, rnsintrepridwriter, Psyclone, and Fallen Dragonfly, I have decided to keep at it, just because I still have some devoted admirers somewhere out there. Thx guys for your persistence in reviewing!**

Calren was heartbroken, his mind numb from grief. The fact that his parents had died was something he couldn't accept, and he tried to tell himself it wasn't true…but it was; he had seen the two elves lying side by side as they were burned. They were the happiest couple in Ellesmera, that was often said, and now that they were gone the entire city had an emptiness, and not just for him.

Calren had shrugged off most of the people who tried to help him, all but his friend, Lara, whom he had to admit was something of a lover. He sat on a stump while Lara paced around him, the cloudy sky erasing all shadows with its indistinct light. It had been only an day ago that the two elves had perished in an accident, a miscast spell, and the pain tore at his heart like hot knives.

"Cal…" Lara whispered to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You know that they loved you, and that they would want you to continue living."

"I can't…" Calren muttered beating his foot into the earth.

Calren was not like any of the other elves. First, and most disturbing, even though he could feel the minds of the animals like they were other people, he had no trouble at all eating meat of any kind, and he usually preferred it when it was not completely done. He had no fear of blood or gore, no fear of violence, and he was often called irrational at times because of his blazing temper. He was faster in the mind than others, and more than thirty times stronger than any elf. Why, no one was sure, but they often said it was because of his powerful connection to magic.

"Calren, you are acting like a child." Lara said sharply. Calren looked up at her with blazing blue eyes that cut into her heart and made her gasp.

"I am fifty-seven. I _am _a child." He retorted, nearly snarling at her. Lara sighed.

"Stop acting your age, then. You are the son of the king…that makes you heir, doesn't it? You have more things to do than dwell on their passing. You must be strong, Calren, if not for yourself then for your people."

"I am not the heir, remember?" Calren said quietly. "I declined the title before it was even bestowed upon me. Eragon-elda is more than capable of it."

"He is not the one. Ever since his dragon…left him…he has not been a reliable person. When Saphira left for the western shore-"

"He is the heir, that was the decision that was made." Calren snapped, ending the discussion. "I wonder if Saphira found anything over the sea…"

"We will never know, Calren. Come on, people are going to worry where we are."

"You go…I need some time to think…" Lara nodded and Calren stood, walking away into the trees, heading north.

The hairs on his arms stood up as it began to rain. _Why did this happen? _He asked himself. _I guess I had to deal with this eventually…but why now? Why did it have to happen now? _Calren scratched his arm as it tingled. The rain came down harder, and lightning lit up the sky. Calren didn't flinch as the thunder made the earth tremble. He feared lightning, he had since birth, but the sound of thunder did not cause him worry. As long as he was among the trees he was safe from the bolts.

_What will I do now? _He now asked himself, rubbing his tingling arms as the rain soaked his clothes. _What will I do now that my parents are gone? Who will take me in? I am not an adult until seventy, and that is more than a decade away! _He rubbed his chest as it too tingled, and he felt a slight twinge in his back muscles. _I have nothing left…what will I do with my life? I haven't even studied magic to its extent, and no I'm on my own?_

Calren's eyes widened in alarm as he realized his entire body was tingling, and he stopped and looked at his arm. As he watched, the hairs on his skin shriveled and crumbled to dust, leaving his skin bare. _What- _He cried out as a pain leapt across his entire body, and he saw his skin begin to crust like old blood, as if his skin was turning into a giant scab. _What's happening?! _

He screamed as hot pain seared his back, and a feeling like he was being torn apart came to him as his spine moved inside his body. His skin was ripped apart and he bled on the ground as he fell to his knees, his back being ripped apart as his bones broke. The last thing he felt as he lost consciousness was his face being torn and his teeth tearing into his lips as they sharpened.

Lightning crackled as it bore witness to his pain, and it, like all of nature, did nothing to ease it. The gods had long ago turned their backs on him, even before he was born. There was nothing that could help him as he was torn apart from the inside out…

**Holy crap! Man, I creeped myself out writing this, so hurry up and review before I quit writing this story!**

**I love how I can begin stories like this…**


	2. Transformation

**Here we go again… yet another freaky chapter in the story of sorrow…(sniff)**

Calren woke, but didn't open his eyes, instead focusing on how he felt. He felt…_good_…better than he had felt in his entire life. His bones had a slight ache, but it was a good ache, one he welcomed. He opened his eyes and found everything to be clearer and sharper than ever before, and he could make out every detail around him. He felt strong, and his body felt warm as if he had sat in the sun for some time.

Calren shifted, but found he was still too dazed to move as of yet. He took this time waking up to think about what had happened. He had felt a tingling…a horrible pain, and then he saw blackness. What had happened? Was it magic? Was he sick? He shifted again and pushed himself to his hands and knees, looking up at the trees. He felt a slight weight on his shoulders, and he shrugged. The torn remains of his shirt fell to the ground. It was ripped in half fro the back, and was covered in blood. _What the hell?!_

Calren stood up but found it difficult and fell back down. The ground shook slightly. He looked down at himself in alarm, and found that his arms were no longer arms…they were the scaled forelegs of a dragon. He gave a wild cry, which came out as a snarl, and he turned his long neck to look at himself. He was a storm-grey dragon, about the size he would expect of one that was one-month old. His tail and wings hung limply on the ground.

_How did this happen?! Was it magic?! Am I cursed?! _A thousand questions buzzed in his mind, and he forced himself to quiet them. _My shirt was torn because of the wings. _One question answered. How it had happened was really irrelevant at this time, it was how he was going to reverse it. _Was it magic? Or perhaps someone slipped me some kind of potion? _But try as he might to imagine it, he knew there was no way it could have happened. There was no spell to do this, and there was no potion either. He had turned into a _dragon_! He was now one of an extinct race!

He twitched every muscle in his body until he found the ones that controlled the wings, and with some effort he closed them and tucked them to his sides. His clothes were torn apart, scattered about on the ground. He had to find help, find someone who could help him reverse this curse, if that was what it was. He tried once more to stand on his hind legs, but it wouldn't work; he would have to walk on all fours. _How did this happen? _The question was asked once again.

The rain was still falling and occasionally thunder growled overhead as he made his way south towards Ellesmera. Who could help him? A thought came to him as he went between to young pine trees; Eragon! The young elf was wise beyond his years, and the last he heard he had himself dealt with a shapeshifting problem before Calren was even born. Eragon would be somewhere at the elder's home, where Vrael the Traitorous had once stayed.

Calren looked at the steps by the tree, and began climbing it. He was only a one-month old dragon, or so he thought, and he could just barely fit on the steps. The climb was quite long, even for an elf, and even with his dragon strength he was tired when he reached the top. He frowned and tried to knock, but just tapped his claws on the wood. The bearded elf opened the door and looked down at him in surprise and…delight?

"Thissa? Thissa, is that you?"

_Eragon-elda, something has happened. _Calren said. Eragon seemed alarmed by his use of thought and stepped aside to let him in. _It is I, Calren. I think I have been cursed, or something similar…_

"This can't have happened…not now…" Eragon muttered. His eyes lit up with realization. "Of course! The enchantment must have broken when they perished!"

_What are you talking about, Eragon-elda? _Calren asked in alarm. Enchantment? Eragon sighed deeply and grabbed a bottle from a shelf, at first trying to hand it to him but eventually having to help him drink the liquid. It was faelnirv, and had much strengthening magic in it. _Please explain… _Eragon nodded.

"This will shock you, but I am glad you came to me first. If any of the others knew this…you would be killed."

_Killed?! What in the hell for?! _Calren cried, ignoring manners in his shock. Eragon seemed to understand.

"I thought your parents told you…do you know who your father is?"

_Mecrac. _

"I should rephrase that; do you know _what _he is?"

_He is an e- _Realization dawned on Calren like a magic burst in his mind. _What?! He isn't an elf?!_

"No, he was not." Eragon took a drink of the faelnirv himself before continuing. "Your father was using magic to disguise his true form…he was a drake, a half-dragon."

_WHAT?! But that is an abomination! How is it possible?! _Calren saw smoke leaving his nostrils in his anger and shock. It couldn't be true…but Eragon was using the ancient language.

"You don't need to call him that." Eragon said angrily. "Yes, he was a drake, and mostly dragon. He and Arya…fell in love, and I was kept in the dark about it. I thought Mecrac was just going to a nearby village, and he was having a relationship with a pure-breed right under my snout…" Snout? Calren shook his head, thinking his ears were playing tricks. "You are not just part dragon…I learned from my daughter that when a drake and an elf have a child, they produce a very rare magical being…you."

_Daughter?! Eragon…please, could you explain, you're going too fast…I can't…I can't…_

"Steady, brother, steady; I'll explain." Eragon took another long draught. "I had a daughter. I had three daughters and two sons, actually. This is…this is a greater secret than any in all of Alagaesia…but you need to know." Eragon took another drink, sitting down. He was very distraught. "Mecrac…was my son."

_Your _WHATCalren nearly roared, and he stamped his foot. _Your son was a drake?! But that means-_

"Yes…I took a dragon for my wife." Eragon said slowly. "You have the right to know…as I am your grandfather." He took another drink and smashed the bottle on the floor with a wild cry, now pacing about the room. "Saphira was the dragon, and Mecrac was my second son. You are my grandson, and of royal blood from both parents." Calren was breathing heavily, doing his best not to pass out from the shock of this revelation. But there was more to be answered.

_What…_

"Yes?"

_What am I, then? What foul, horrible, sick, twisted _abomination_ does that make me?! _Calren yelled, making Eragon flinch. _What am I?_

"You are a weredragon." Eragon said smoothly.

_A were…a what…a weredragon? _Calren looked at himself. _But how?_

"It is from the magic in your blood, and the fact that Mecrac was steeped in dark magic from my blood in his veins." Eragon said in a low voice. "Your mother cast a spell on you at birth to prevent you fro changing form, but when she perished in the accident…her spell fades and you turned."

_But why am I not like…werewolves and the others? I should be doing this by the light of the moon, and I would have killed you by now!_

"A dragon, remember." Eragon said calmly, though his voice was rough and his breaths ragged. "You are a dragon in your mind, and dragons don't attack meaninglessly. As to why you didn't change at the full moon…only werewolves and half-Feleans do that. Weredragons have much more magic in them, and are not affected by the moon but by emotion. You were in grief from your parents' death, and so to the dragon emerged to defend you."

_This…this can't be…_Calren snapped his head up to look at Eragon fiercely. _Tell me everything! I need to know! How do I purify myself?!_

"You can't clean your blood from your body without dying, Calren-_elda_." Eragon said, shocking him with the honorific term. "You noticed? I call dragons that, regardless of age or wisdom. This is not a curse, like with other werecreatures, but what you are." Calren whined with self-hatred. He was an abomination! "I learned much from my daughter, so I can help you…when in dragon form you think differently, as a dragon would instead of an elf. You should be able to change at will if you learn how, but I believe it is the dragon's choice for now."

_I hate myself…_

"I understand, child, I understand. I am no longer human because of the dark magic that changed me into a dragon." Eragon used a spell to clear up the shards of glass on the floor. "I will let you stay with me, so that no one discovers your true nature. I _am _your only surviving relative, and therefore your guardian anyway. Unless you want to count the drakes and draconians in the city of Hirath to the east. Most of their race is your family."

_Eragon-elda…_

"Not 'elda', dragon." Eragon said firmly. "At least not in that form. I will do my best to help you, even if I must die in your stead if you are discovered." It was an oath I the ancient language. "There is no need for you to swear any oaths of secrecy, as you would still be able to break them."

_What?_

"Hybrids can lie in the ancient language." Eragon pointed out. "Because of the simple fact that you are an abomination, you are far more powerful than any other being." Calren tore at his own chest with his claws, yelling and snarling. "You cannot hurt yourself with those claws; dragon magic keeps that from happening. Calren, I am sorry I had to put so much weight on your shoulders at such an early age…but you need to know, and hiding anything will only make things worse in the long run."

_You are very wise, Eragon. _Calren said, lowering his head.

"You think I am wise? Wait until your dragon side is more developed, then we will see who is wise." Eragon said with a smirk. "I had to deal with a shapeshifter, an ancient being named Thomas. He had caught a disease which caused his forms to take over his mind, and I had to help him relearn his ability. I can teach you some things…but I have had no experience with a werecreature before. You are the first of your kind, as most of what I know is theory based off of magical divination. My daughter, Saphira, was always the brightest."

_Eragon, the Shadeslayer, is my grandfather… _Calren muttered. He jerked in surprise as his scales seemed to melt. _Wait, what's happening?!_

"You are changing back. It shouldn't be as painful as the first time you changed when you turn into a dragon again." Eragon dug around as his scales melted and turned the color of sand. He tossed some clothes in front of him as his wings melted into his back, his tail shrinking into his spine. His legs popped and his face crackled as the bone broke, but it didn't hurt. In all of twenty seconds he was back in elf form, naked but fine. He pulled on the clothes while Eragon found another bottle of faelnirv. "Do you need any more?" Calren grabbed the bottle and drank most f it. "Steady…"

"Thanksss-" Calren shook his head I alarm as he realized he still had a forked tongue. "What'sss wrong? Wait, it's gone now. That was…strange." Calren licked his teeth, making sure they were all normal. "So…I'm the little abomination of Ellesmera now? I'm the only weredragon in existence…why me?"

"No one can tell, as Fate has turned its back on you since before you were born. If you want to be an abomination, so be it, but remember to keep others from knowing. If anyone knew, they would rather kill you than talk. To the elves, you are just an animal, regardless of f they knew you or not."

"Lara needs to know." Calren said softly. Eragon shook his head.

"Even she cannot know."

"She has to…" Calren was breathing heavily. "I can't leave her in the dark, it would be wrong…"

"Regardless, you can't tell her. If she knew then word may spread, and you may find yourself up to your snout in boiling water." Eragon chuckled. "Not that real boiling water would hurt you…"

"What should I do?" Eragon took him into another room, and Eragon shuddered as he saw the hollow in the floor.

"You can sleep there, or in another bed."

"Sleep on the floor?"

"In dragon form, yes. That is where Saphira used to sleep." Eragon clutched his chest for a moment. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind if her grandson used it."

"I might, the thought of sleeping like a dragon sounds…interesting. But, how do I change back?"

"We'll have to work on that…but you can sleep in the spare bed."

"Eragon…" Calren put his hand on Eragon's shoulder, smiling slightly. "Thank you for your help."

"Anything for my kin."

**Just to remind some people; Calren looks like an adult, but in his mind he is still only a teenage human. Review please!**


	3. Nerlac

**I have a plot planned out, and I won't get far from it, so rejoice! **

Calren blinked furiously as ice-water dripped onto his face. He shook his head and growled, expecting to see his father pulling another prank, but it was Eragon. Calren sat up from his cot, clearing grit from his eyes. He remembered with a jolt the revelation from the night before, and this time he felt better able to handle it.

"Alright, it's time to get up." Eragon said.

"It's early." Calren muttered.

"Not for me." The man chuckled, scratching his short beard. "Or for dragons."

"Why exactly are you getting me up?" Eragon pulled him to his feet.

"To establish some things with you." Eragon tossed him a shirt and he put it on. "If anyone sees you in your dragon form, you are to be called Nerlac, or Calren backwards. If anyone asks you, you hatched from an egg in my possession, and are a wild dragon. Understand?"

"That I hatched from an egg…sounds strange to say that. And I won't be able to say-" He stopped as he realized something. "Wait…my mother was a tree." He gasped. "I lied in the ancient language!"

"And to top it all off…" Eragon winked at him as he strode from the room. "You _did _hatch from an egg, and that wouldn't be a lie." He sighed. "King Orik of the dwarves is coming in a few days…something he needs me to help him with, but we have time to let you learn to turn at will. It is actually quite simple, so I'm told." Eragon shrugged, digging in some papers. "Thomas said that you must search your mind for the part of you that you want to become, in this case, the phantom of a dragon mind at the edge of your consciousness." Calren frowned and reached around in his mind, and almost instantly found what he was talking about.

"I expected this to be harder…like magic training or something, but this seems too simple."

"It is simple." Eragon said. "Well, if I remember what Thomas said, you must pull that 'mind' into your own." Calren sighed. "You will want to undress, that's a new shirt." Calren did.

"This _should _be hard, but at least I don't need words to do it." He stopped. "Will it hurt?"

"It isn't a forced change like the first time, so it should be smooth like when you changed here." Calren nodded, feeling this phantom mind at the edge of his own. It was really like the mind of an animal, but it didn't respond to his touch, and when he pulled it into his it was replaced by his own mind. His skin cracked and boiled, scabbing and turning blue-grey. It didn't hurt at all, and it was almost a pleasant feeling. His bones cracked and reshaped, his wings moving out smoothly from his back. He fell forward on to all fours as his neck extended. It had been all of ten seconds that time.

_That wasn't so bad…I could get used to being an abomination. _Calren said with a nervous chuckle. Eragon smiled and clapped.

"Congratulations, you are my star pupil. I remember having to teach my son, Arcir, how to use magic. He was…a little slow in the uptake with that subject, but if you needed to send a house to the moon with brute strength…" Eragon trailed off as someone knocked on the door. "I will have to let people know that the dragon called Nerlac is here, or I could be in trouble for hiding it." Eragon frowned. "Remember what I said, _dragon._"Calren nodded as Eragon opened the door. An elf that Calren was very familiar with stepped in; Vanir, one of the few elves left from before Eragon's time.

"Eragon, have you seen…_who is this?!_" The elf jerked with surprise when he saw Calren. Eragon nodded towards him and he took the hint. It was time to play actor.

_I am Nerlac. _He said with ease, using the ancient language. _I was in an egg under Eragon's care, one he thought was dead. _To his surprise Vanir didn't recognize his voice. _I am not bonded, and therefore am not like any dragons you may have known. _Eragon smiled slightly; he was doing perfectly. Vanir bowed to him. Vanir, the greatest swordsman under Eragon, had _bowed _to him!

"I am Vanir, skulblaka." He said. "I must say, it is quite a surprise to see another dragon. Eragon, I came to say…Calren has not been seen since yesterday, when he was with Lara." Eragon nodded.

"I talked with him last night, and he is in the forest. He wants to be alone to think." Eragon had lied as well! "I am taking up the responsibilities as his guardian." Vanir widened an eye.

"Is that so? I hope the wretched child doesn't trouble you; he has a tendency to be a bit…irrational." Calren couldn't help but growl. "What's this?"

_I won't have you speaking about my friend like that in my presence. _Calren said quickly. The ruse was perfect.

"My apologies, Nerlac." Vanir said hurriedly, and Calren could smell his fear. "I didn't know you two were close. He has never mentioned you…"

"I want to keep the knowledge of Nerlac's existence to a minimum. Tell who you wish, but don't put up flyers." Eragon said. Vanir nodded and left with a bow to Calren, and Eragon smiled at him as he closed the door. "Well played, young weredragon, well played. Like all werecreatures, you excel in deception."

_I don't like lying._

"You aren't lying, you just aren't telling the entirety of the truth." Eragon pointed out. "You _are _a dragon, full blooded as well. You are not a real elf in your elvish form, however, but a hybrid. The dragon form is just a representation of your mind, induced by magic."

_You lost me…_

"I never had you, but very well; I can explain later."

_Eragon…when I was speaking to Vanir, why did he not recognize my voice?_

"Because it sounds different when you speak mentally." Eragon said. Calren widened an eye.

_How so?_

"You sound…animal…like a drake." Eragon said, rubbing his beard. "Your voice is deep and harsh, what you would expect a male dragon to sound like if he could speak out loud." Calren nodded. "You didn't notice it, but Vanir expressed pity for you."

_Pity for what?_

"For being the last dragon in existence." The fact cut into him deeper than he expected. "And so you are the very last dragon to _ever _exist, unless you produce weredragons as well, or if another egg turns up. That will not happen, I'm afraid. Not only that, but the chance that you could find a mate is very slim…"

_I have Lara. _Calren said firmly.

"But if she ever found out about you, she would push you away at the least." Eragon placed a hand on Calren's shoulder. "You are immortal, and perhaps the chance will present itself at some time in the future." Calren had a thought.

_How big will I get? Will I never stop growing?_

"You will only get big enough for you to perhaps carry two people on your back, about the size of a three or four month-old dragon, maybe five, six, or seven, but not the size of a castle, that's for sure."

_That's depressing. _Calren said with a snort. _Will I breathe fire?_

"Yes, certainly."

_Yes!_ Calren nearly jumped with delight._ Oh…sorry. _Eragon smiled.

"It's fine, you weren't thinking like an elf when you did that; you still think like a dragon. Are you going to try to change back?"

_I will try to get used to this body while I can. _Calren said, following Eragon as he went up the stairs and into the study. _One of your inkwells is missing a stopper. _Calren pointed out.

"Blagden stole that one, actually, and I have yet to strangle him for it." Eragon said as he sorted through scrolls. "I thought I had something my daughter Jessara sent me, but I must have put it elsewhere. My daughter is a seer, you know, and one that can speak to the souls of those long dead." Calren widened an eye.

_That sounds strange…_

"Not as strange as the two swords I have over there." Eragon said, pointing to a wall. Two rider's blades were hanging from the wall on pegs, point down. One was blue like a sapphire and one was silver and reflective like a mirror.

_May I? _Calren asked as he stood up on his hind legs, this time using his tail to balance. Eragon chuckled.

"You have to ask them." Calren looked back at the swords in confusion.

_I beg your pardon?_

"Go on, ask if you can hold one." Calren sighed, thinking the whole business was foolish, but knowing some trick was involved he would play along.

_Can I hold you? _He asked the silver sword.

_Of course you can, young dragon! _It said, humming. Calren jerked back, falling on his back with his wings spread out.

_It just spoke! _Eragon chuckled.

"That would be Sverdar, the silver one, and the other contains the soul of Saphira, the one Brom rode." Calren just stared at the blades. "They insisted that I hang them somewhere where they could rest in peace for a long time, and there they are."

_Do they need to know the truth?_

"They already know what you are, but introduce yourself." Eragon said, pulling out a sheet of parchment and writing.

_Well…my name is Calren, though I am called Nerlac while others are around. _Calren said, feeling slightly foolish to be talking to a sword, whether it could reply or not.

_Well met, Calren, I'm Serendas, or Sverdar in your tongue. I am the cross between the soul of a drake and a dragon, Artanis and Mirage. _The blue sword hummed quietly as he finished.

_I am Saphira, as Eragon said. It is good to meet another dragon, regardless if you are a werecreature. _The voice was sweet and almost angelic, and the pommelstone glowed brightly as the dragon spoke. _You want to know how I got here, yes?_

_I do._

_I was imprisoned when this blade was plunged into my heart by Morzan, one of the thirteen Forsworn. The enchantment was meant to capture his soul, but instead it caught mine, and I am preserved here until the world ends. Now Sverdar, on the other hand-_

_Be quite, dragon; I do not wish for others to know my story as of yet._

_Very well, Dream-Blade. _Saphira sighed. _Sorry, Calren, you will have to wait. _Calren nodded slightly, a little disturbed by the talking blades.

_Why do you want to just hang up here?_

_I have seen too much death, young one. _Saphira said slowly. _I don't want to see any more._

_And I tire of elves and humans holding me; they aren't violent enough! _Sverdar said rather loudly._ I long for the taste of blood, but I will wait for war to come again. It always does._

_Are you sure of that, Sverdar? _Calren asked. The sword hummed loudly and the edges flashed the crimson of blood.

_Oh, yes; war _always _comes again. I will see blood by the end of the century, there is no doubt in my mind…_


	4. On a Mission

**I am still writing Broken, or book one, but this is more of an offshoot story anyway. Just so you know, the story doesn't end until I specifically state in the A/N that it has. Keep watching that story, as it will continue and some things will be revealed in it that is quite frightening…**

Eragon had finished writing the letter and he had sent it with an elf to the east, most likely to this city of Hirath he had mentioned. The day was spent getting Calren to perfect his transformation, and he could now shift forms within five seconds. Eragon had been quite impressed, as even a real shapeshifter was slower than that. Calren was again in the study with him, in his dragon form, and he finally decided to ask the question that had been bothering him for years.

_Eragon…_

"Yes?"

_I wanted to know…why did Saphira leave? _Eragon clenched his fists and made a strange noise. _You don't have to answer, I understand._

"You need to know." Eragon sighed and looked out the window at the trees. It was still raining, and the clouds made it seem as if it were night in the forest below. "Saphira…left because she had discovered that a large group of wild dragons went over the sea, and if she could find them she could bring them back to Alagaesia. The dragon race wouldn't die out after all, she said." Eragon turned to look at him. "She has not returned, and I can only assume the worst. Either she did not find another shore and…perished…or she was killed by the other dragons. I have long since stopped my mourning, but I still miss her."

_I'm sorry…_

"I know you are." Eragon shook his head. "But you need to worry about yourself. Speaking of which, I received word from my daughter in Hirath a few hours ago through a form of Antargian magic. She says she is looking into some things about you, and she will find out as much as she can. But she has a library to run in the city, and the entire group of mages in the city look to her."

_Mages? I have never heard that word before…_

"It is a kind of magician, one that uses forms of magic that were considered illegal here in the old days, and are now merely forgotten. Mages, unlike wizards and sorcerers, need no energy from anything to perform magic, and they can do near to anything if they have the mental will to do it. Saphira herself is capable of tearing the world in two if she wanted, but it would be the height of folly to do such a thing."

_Incredible…could I learn this form of magic?_

"You don't want to get involved in dark magic, friend." Eragon said slowly. "And werecreatures are not very good at controlling magic, as you should know by now."

_I have never even learned how to access it. _Calren said in a low voice.

"It would do you little good to try, as it could lead to your own death and the death of every elf in the city. That is how unstable your mind is." Calren shivered. "I know, it's unfortunate that you cannot learn magic, but there are other things you can learn." Calren nodded and followed Eragon downstairs, wondering what strange thing would be revealed next. "Like I said yesterday, the dwarven king is going to be here today, and I have to speak with him. Are you going to be in elf or dragon form?" Calren thought for only a moment.

_I think I would rather stay a dragon for now…it feels better. _

"I know, I had that problem when I learned to change form with magic…I never got used to being human again."

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The sun was setting when there was a heavy knock on the door. _I'll get it this time, Eragon. _Calren said.

"Are you sure you want people to know so soon?" Calren snorted.

_They will discover the new dragon here at some point, better now than later when they will blame you for keeping my existence a secret. _Eragon nodded and Calren ran to the door, pulling it open with his claws. As he expected there was a dwarf dressed in fine clothes on the step, panting from the long climb.

"I tell you, Eragon, the way these elves make their homes is not sane, at best." He said, and then he finally realized the fact that he was talking to a dragon. The expression of horror and shock on his face was priceless, and Calren would have given his right arm to see it again. "BY HELZVOG!" He screamed, falling backward. Calren grabbed the front of his tunic before he fell down the stairs. "Oh…oh my…thank you, dragon." He swallowed as he was drawn inside. "That was an…unexpected surprise. Where in blazes did _you _come from?! I thought dragons were extinct!" He cried. Eragon came into the room and chuckled.

"Until Calren hatched they were." He said.

_You said Calren? Are you sure you know what you are doing? _Calren said to Eragon privately. Eragon answered out loud.

"Orik is one of the few people who knows about me and Saphira, and I trust him to know about you." Calren nodded and Orik looked at him suspiciously.

"So is he another drake of some kind?" He asked with some amusement. "Eragon, if you keep this up half of Alagaesia's population will be made up of them." Eragon chuckled.

"No, he is not a drake; he is a weredragon." Orik raised an eyebrow and examined him, making Calren feel uncomfortable.

"A were…dragon? Never heard of such a thing."

"Until him there never has been such a thing, except in theory."

_Could you stop talking about me as if I'm not here? _Calren interrupted. _It makes me uncomfortable. _Eragon grinned.

"Alright…Orik, he is one of my family, my grandson to be precise."

"You're already a great-great-grandfather, and you had to go ahead and become a grandfather again? Eragon…your family does take after you."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Eragon cried with a laugh.

"Oh, nothing, nothing…just muttering." Orik and Calren followed Eragon up the stairs into the study, where the two sat down while Calren listened.

_Not this blasted fool! _Sverdar cried as Orik came into the room.

"Sverdar, why are you still alive? I thought you were burned in the forges of the gods themselves!"

_Not even they can unmake a blade such as I, mortal. _Sverdar said icily. _Hurry up and send him on his way, Eragon, I cannot stand the creature!_

"Quite, Serendas, he will leave when our business is finished." The sword sighed mentally. "Now…Orik…what was this about an infestation?" The dwarf cleared his throat.

"About two months ago a new creature appeared in the tunnels, a magical creature unlike any we have ever seen!" He rubbed his hands together in distress. "They are some kind of insect, like a beetle, ones that feed on meat…and metal! We call them rust mites because of the residue they leave on their half-finished meals. They attack us without almost any warning and eat those they kill, the armor and weapons included. They attack the better armed ones first, and leave those that are nearly naked alone."

"How many are there?"

"Ten or ten-thousand, it makes no difference." Orik growled. "I wanted to personally ask you to help with this infestation…if this continues we may have a real problem in the world. Imagine what would happen if all the metal in the world was eaten by these foul mites!"

_I say burn them all alive! _Sverdar cried from his place on the wall.

"We tried that with magic, but the metal they eat goes into their shells and makes them near invincible. They have hides like plate armor, and teeth like elvish daggers! I myself was nearly killed by one…and I will never forget that horrible sight; they have a cunning I have never seen in other vermin," Orik sighed deeply. "They are about the size of very large rats…like the size of a Scorinian child."

_Scorinian? _Calren asked.

"A form of giant scorpion, quite intelligent too. There's one living in Hirath, Falkser is his name." Eragon explained. Orik nodded and continued.

"The mites have grown in number with the food they eat, and there are no males or females. As long as they have food they can reproduce with only one member. We once caught one and soon the cage it was in burst with the mites! I need your help in eradicating these vermin…no weapon of dwarven kind can help, and magic does little. I thought you would be able to find a way to kill them." Eragon leaned back in his chair, thinking deeply.

"I would gladly go with you, but Calren is my first priority." Eragon said. "I must decline, unfortunately."

_I will go as well. _Calren said quickly. Eragon looked at him strangely. _I may be of some help, and perhaps some time away from my former race will help me come to terms with my new one._

"That is dragon wisdom." Eragon pointed out. "Very well, Orik, we will go. Sverdar-"

_Way ahead of you! _The sword said, flying from the wall and hovering in mid-air. _Anything for a chance at some action…I haven't left that wall in more than twenty years! _Eragon nodded.

"Saphira?" The blue sword also floated away from the wall, but not as quickly as Sverdar.

_I go where you go, Eragon, as always. _The old dragon said quietly, her blade humming softly from the magic that kept her aloft.

"Orik, those mites have a fight on their hands." Eragon said, grabbing Sverdar out of the air and flourishing.

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Calren was in elf form, hefting his pack to his shoulder and looking up to the place he now called home. Eragon was still packing, and even Sverdar had insisted they take some things for him. Calren jerked with surprise when Lara appeared seemingly out of nowhere by his side.

_Oh! Hello, Lara. _Calren said. Lara raised an eyebrow.

"That's the first time you've used your mind to speak with me." She pointed out.

"Sorry, Eragon seems to have beaten some habits into me in two days." Calren said quickly and evenly. Like Eragon had said, he was a master of deception.

"Speaking of which, where have you been?" Lara asked angrily.

"With Eragon, like I said. He has taken up responsibility for me until I turn seventy-five." _Or until my dragon form is fully-grown. _Calren added to himself. "I'm leaving with him for the Beors."

"And you have avoided speaking to me this entire time?" Lara said, pretending to be upset. "Well, I might have to convince Eragon-elda to let you stay with me."

"I'm going, and it's final." Calren said, a little more forcefully than he wanted to. Lara looked at him quizzically.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing." _It's more a question of what's gotten _out _of me. _Calren thought with some amusement, thinking about how his dragon form had emerged the first time. "How have you been, Lara?"

"Not too well…I failed to cast a spell for my mother yesterday, and I nearly killed myself. I am amazed I'm up and about so early. You should be glad you don't have to do magic until Eragon thinks you are ready." _I never have to do magic at all. _"I suppose this is the last time I'll be seeing you, then…"

"I'll return quite soon, if all goes well." Calren said quickly, shaking his head. "If you're worried about me and my parents' deaths, I have gotten over it."

"How so soon? Most would be in tears for days." _Because the dragon keeps me strong, _Calren wanted to say, but he didn't.

"I'm stronger than you think." _Much stronger… _"I'll be fine, just look after yourself while I'm gone."

"It's not I that needs looking after, Fleetscale." Calren blinked as he heard his surname. "I always wondered…why Fleetscale?"

"Another of my father's jokes, no doubt." Calren said. _Or because he had scales. _"Here comes Eragon…I'll be seeing you some time soon, Lara. Take care." The elf smiled and left, vanishing into the trees as elves always did. Calren sighed as he watch Eragon and Orik climb down to him. _I have to get out of this relationship without breaking her heart…I can't risk us being together and her discovering the truth. As much as I hate myself…I won't let her hate me as well. _

Eragon helped Orik to his feet after he tripped on the last step. "I'm getting too old for this, Shadeslayer." He grunted. "You haven't aged a day, and yet I still grow old and fat. Well, let's get along, just like old times. Of course, I had to let two guards come with me, if that isn't a problem."

"Calren?" Eragon asked, surprising him.

"I can manage. I may be a werecreature, but I'm not a recluse." He said quietly, reaching out with his mind to make sure there wasn't anyone nearby to hear his words.

"Excellent." Orik said loudly, trundling ahead of them while the two swords followed.

_Well, dragon, it looks like we're on an adventure after all. _Calren told the unresponsive ghost of his other side. Even though it couldn't answer, it was still something to speak to, and they had a long journey ahead. He might as well do _something_…


	5. Fit to Travel

"You don't look like other elves." One of the dwarves said on their first day out. Calren looked at him strangely.

"How so?" Calren asked, widening an eye. "I have never really looked in a mirror."

"I would rather not say it, because you may take offense…"

"Please." Calren snorted. "As if I would take offense from someone who may or may not truly know what elves are supposed to look like." The dwarf nodded and he explained as they walked on the narrow path.

"You look…wild…in a way, as if you are one that has survived on his own for some time." Calren looked to Eragon and he smiled slightly. "It's your face…the eyes are too angled for one …you just look different from most elves." _No surprise, thanks to my dragon blood, _Calren thought.

"Thanks for saying something; I have never really looked at myself, but I might want to see when we reach Farthen Dur." They continued walking for some time and Orik came up beside him.

"I didn't know you could speak dwarvish!" He said quietly.

"Say what? We were speaking in the ancient language." Calren said with confusion.

"Nay, I heard the dwarvish tongue leaving your lips…but you heard your own language and spoke ours with ease." Orik smiled with a strange gleam in his eye. "It seems the gods have granted you the gift of tongues, my friend."

"I beg your pardon?"

"There are some who are gifted with the ability to speak all languages, including those they have never heard before in their lives. You must have that gift, for you were speaking my native language." Calren gaped a little. "Here…can you tell what I am saying?"

"Of course I can!" Calren said nervously. Orik laughed.

"You see, I just spoke the urgal language and you were able to respond in kind!" Orik laughed and walked closer to his guards. Eragon came up beside him.

"You are a very interesting being, Calren." He said, shaking his head slowly. "What you can do, both with what you are and how you speak…I see a great future for you, one that may benefit all the land if you use your power wisely." Calren smiled as he thought. _I can speak any language! _He knew the possibilities for someone with that ability. Many would want him as an ambassador, or a translator in a merchant caravan. There were quite a few positions that required the use of more than one language.

_Yet more power that we get to use, _he said to his ghostly other, the phantom unresponsive but still listening. _I have to be careful with power, so that I do not become corrupt from it. _He nearly laughed. He was talking to himself! If it kept up he might start doing it out loud…

"How long until we reach Farthen Dur?" Calren asked.

"A few days at the least, and a month at the most if we get bogged down in storms like on the way here." Orik said. Eragon chuckled with Orik at some hidden joke, which Calren couldn't grasp for his life.

_Eragon, I wanted to ask you something. _Calren said mentally. Eragon glanced at him and nodded. _Why is my surname Fleetscale?_

_Because your father was able to move so quickly that none could see him. _Eragon said. _It is also why he survived so well in the war with the Crimson Warriors, who are born to kill dragons and dragon-kin like the fanghur and the drakes. They are thankfully extinct now. _Eragon said. _I remember that last battle…it was truly horrible, with their weapon, napalm, flying into the air and covering us…I won't say more, it is a little painful._

_You lost someone, didn't you? _Calren pressed.

_Your aunt, Vervada…she was injured and taken to Hirath to heal. _Eragon closed his eyes for a moment. _She vanished on the way back, and nothing has been heard since._

_I'm sorry._

_You know what it feels like. _Eragon broke the connection. Calren thought for a while. Calren Fleetscale…it sounded right, the way the names fit together.

_I keep learning more about myself. _Calren said to the ghost of his dragon form. It, of course, did nothing. _What, do you just exist so that I can become a dragon? _Nothing. _You're not much of a dragon…fine, I'll do the talking and you can just listen. _Calren was now starting to get used to talking to his dragon side, which never responded in any way whatsoever. It was a useless thing to do, but it passed the time. He decided to ask it a question. _Can you hear me? If so, say yes. _Nothing happened. _This is going to be a long trip…_

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Calren yawned as he continued down the narrow, nearly non-existent path. His eyes ached a little and his limbs were heavy, but he felt that he could go on all night if he had to. A soft humming told him that one of the two swords was approaching from behind him, and he recognized the sharp sound of Sverdar from the soft tone of Saphira.

_Hey, weredragon, think fast! _Calren's eyes widened and he spun around to see the razor-sharp blade coming straight at his neck. He gasped with surprise…and the world flickered. He blinked and realized that the blade was traveling slowly at him…_very _slowly. He was most certainly thinking fast. Calren smirked at this strange event and moved to the side as Sverdar swung by him, the world suddenly going back into full motion.

_What?! How in hell did you move that fast?! _The sword yelled. _I wouldn't really have hit you, and yet you turn into living lightning and flee! What did you do?_

_I thought fast, I guess, _Calren said, contacting Eragon while the sword floated off with a grumble. _Eragon, something strange just happened._

_You mean you moving so quickly that it was near impossible to see you, or the dwarves that are staring at you because of said speed? _Eragon said with a smile, the dwarves indeed doing just that.

_No…the world just slowed down…the sword was moving so slowly I could have walked to the front of the line and back without missing a thing!_

_This is…troubling, _Eragon said with a frown, motioning for the dwarves to continue onward. _But it is beneficial, and therefore you should be glad this strange thing can happen. Perhaps you were made to think quickly and move quickly by adrenaline? Maybe the magic in your blood did it? I don't know, but when we get the chance we will examine this further. _Calren nodded, hearing the faint sound of Saphira berating Sverdar in the back of his mind. They were shouting very loudly, and he smiled as Saphira took a swing at the sword, calling him an irresponsible prat.

_Yet _another _strange new power unlocked by you, _Calren said to his other mind, which did nothing to respond. _Fine, be that way. I won't stop talking just because you can't. Unless you can do tricks…or something, at least, besides just sit there like a lemon. _It merely sat at the edge of his mind like a lemon. _If you don't talk I'm officially labeling you my sidekick! _He threatened. Nothing, of course, happened. _Why am I getting angry at myself? I might be going mad…_


	6. The Last Leg

**A FEW THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO SEE!!!**

**Calren is not an elf, he is an abomination that everyone but his family hates. Oh, and he talks to himself. Please tell me what you think of him in your reviews, in case he needs improvement. God, why do people say he doesn't act like an elf…he isn't an elf, he's a weredragon…**

**Next, some believe Saphira has abandoned Eragon to mate with the other dragons…NOT TRUE! She left to try and bring them back to Alagaesia so that the race would prosper once more. She would NOT mate with anyone else…**

**Lastly…Calren is not considered an elf, but he **_**is **_**considered a dragon. He has more dragon in him than elf due to the power of the dark magic in his father's body. He is therefore the last dragon, though werecreature he is. **

**As a note…I happen to like a few of the races I have created in Broken, so I may write a few stories about them, namely, the Feleans. If you don't remember, those are the cat-like humanoids that are very common in Hirath. They are the greatest of the half-breeds, besides drakes.**

**Now, to the story!**

Calren yawned loudly, and was surprised when he heard the growling yawn of a dragon. He quickly patted himself down but was still in human form. Confused, he stood up and looked around at the others, but saw that only Eragon was awake. The man was holding an orb of pitch black in his hand, muttering something under his breath. He tried not to make any noise, but Eragon's concentration was broken and he spun towards him in surprise, but calmed when he saw it was Calren.

"Oh…I thought it was one of the others." He panted. "If they had known I was using this magic…"

"What was it?" Eragon frowned and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Antargian magic. It is called dark magic here and Black magic in Antargis." Eragon explained. "It is…to get us to the mountain faster. Look around; we are not in Du Weldenvarden, as we should be, but by the Beartooth River!" Calren looked around, and to his great surprise he saw the monstrous peaks of the Beors all around them.

"How…what…nevermind." Calren eventually said. "Magic…you used it to bring us here?"

"In a way. Though you can't use magic, it would be wise for you to learn the art. You will know what is being used against you, and how to help others in the art." Calren smiled slightly, wondering why anyone would want to use magic against _him_. His smile faded when he remembered. _Oh, right; I'm an abomination. Great._

"What first, ebrithil?" He said. Eragon smiled and motioned for him to sit down.

"You know almost all about Alagaesian magic, the kind that uses the ancient language. There are three other kinds, all of which were banned from use in this land when the Riders reigned. Now that they are dead, and never to rise again, I will teach you some." Eragon cleared his throat.

"First is what I use, Antargian magic. It is called Black magic or dark magic by most. It is able to bend the forces of nature to its will, instead of merely providing the energy for it to work on its own. This magic _forces _nature into action and that is why it is considered evil. It is very powerful, but very deadly if used improperly.

"Next is Altonian magic, or the Colored magic. It is used to control energy in all its forms, not nature. It is used as a weapon mostly, and also for healing. There is little physical manipulation involved, and it is not dangerous like dark magic." Eragon stopped for a while longer than Calren thought he would, and he became impatient.

"And next is?"

"Last is Blood magic. That is the only kind you can use, as it is ingrained into your dragon body. All creatures have some Blood magic, but dragons have more than almost any other. It is not restricted by language or energy, and it is possible to do anything with it, but it cannot be used consciously. Your ability to slow time…?"

"Blood magic?" Calren guessed.

"Yes." Eragon looked at him. "You catch on fast, but it is probably from your dragon blood. You are a good man, Calren, and you don't deserve this sort of life; running from the truth because others fear it. People fear the unknown, which is what you are, and they cannot face what they fear. Unlike you." Eragon turned away and closed his eyes. "What _do _you fear, weredragon?"

"I fear…" Calren stopped. There was nothing he could think of. "I don't think I fear anything."

"The darkness? The despair of the world? The depths of what lies in the soul…"

"Nothing."

"That is what a dragon would say…and it is true. You fear nothing because you have seen nothing to fear." Calren narrowed his eyes.

"And what is there in the world that I should fear? I am of dragonkind."

"_That _is what you should fear."

"Why?"

"…because for that reason people fear _you_. And because they fear you, they will hate you. Just as they hated me and Saphira…" Calren put his hand on Eragon's shoulder and sighed.

"Eragon, no one really hates you for being your dragon's mate…if you hadn't I wouldn't exist." Eragon chuckled and stood up, watching as the dwarves stirred. "Come on, you lazy rocks!" Calren taunted.

With some prodding they were able to get the dwarves up a few hours earlier than they had agreed to and set off, now coming closer to Farthen Dur. Calren had seen fairths of the dwarven city, and would not be surprised by the way it looked. He had studied the dwarves for some time, hoping that he could put the knowledge to use. Now that he could, he was feeling quite confident. The first sign that they were approaching the mountain was the sound of falling water…and someone yelling.

"I told you, I'm a friend of Eragon Shadeslayer!" Eragon raised an eyebrow at the sight before them. There was a huge waterfall over a great pool, the banks on both sides empty except for a human boy in woolen clothes at the left side. The group approached and he turned with a growl. "Eragon, glad you happened to show up!"

"Who are you?" Eragon said quietly.

"Are you kidding?! I'm Thomas!"

"Thomas?!" Eragon stepped back, looking the boy up and down. "You haven't aged in sixty years?!"

"I haven't aged in body or mind in more than six_-thousand _years, Eragon." Thomas said harshly. "These blasted pure-breeds won't let me inside. Something about traitorous scum and some such nonsense." Eragon shook his head, looking up to a face peering from a ledge.

"I am Eragon Shadeslayer, returning from Ellesmera with King Orik, his guards, and Calren of the Dracaryis!"

"Dracaryis?" Calren asked quietly as the face vanished.

_Your kind is called that in Altonia. It will be enough for them to let you in, and enough that I won't have to lie. _Eragon said mentally. Calren nodded and waited for something to happen, looking at the boy …or whatever he was. Thomas frowned, brow furrowed, sniffing the air silently. He turned to Calren in surprise, a bead of sweat on his temple.

"What are you doing here, weredragon?!" He asked loudly. The dwarves only glanced at them, and Eragon didn't even flinch. Thomas was using a different language to speak to him, and he knew of his ability. "You are in grave danger if you stay with these people."

"I am a werecreature, and no one will know I'm here unless I want them to." Calren responded, making sure his words were in this unknown language. "I am perfectly safe."

"I could smell you, so perhaps others can as well." Thomas warned. "I am Thokarge, or Thomas in the pure-breed's tongue. I am a true shapeshifter, and the last of my kind."

"As am I, in two cases. I am Calren, as you heard." Calren, despite the being's warnings, very much liked him. Calren decided to try something and inhaled slowly through his nose, trying to find if this boy had some strange scent. A smell unlike anything he had smelled before wafted on the breeze, something that reminded him of exotic spices.

"Is that you I smell?"

"Draumrinth have no scent. I smell nothing but you and the others." _Is it me? _Calren asked his ghostly self, but he knew it couldn't be. Whatever it was it was something he had never smelled or heard of before. It was coming from the south, and was very strong. The scent vanished as two stone doors swung open out of nowhere, armed dwarves running out, a few humans among them.

"You are to leave your weapons at the gate and proceed to the quarters provided for you. My King, you must come with me, as there is urgent business to discuss." A rather tall human said, bowing. Eragon and Calren had no weapons and went inside. "Your swords, my lord." The man said. Eragon smiled.

"These blades are not just weapons; they are intelligent beings. They come with me."

"I can't let you do that." The man said forcefully, putting a hand on his own blade. Calren decided to have a go at diplomacy.

"Either he takes the swords with him and everyone's happy or he leaves them and gets killed by the mites." The man thought for a moment…but only a moment.

"Go ahead. Better to bend some rules than be eaten alive…"

Calren couldn't agree more.

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Calren looked into the cave-like room, raising an eyebrow. "Eragon, is there some reason why I'm going to stay in this 'dragonhold'?" Eragon chuckled, standing on the massive star sapphire in the floor. It shone with its own light, except for a single speck in the center that was black.

"Because you are a dragon."

"Not right now I'm not." Calren pointed out grimly. "But I can stay anyway. I prefer being alone, actually. Probably more from my dragon side." Eragon smiled and moved out the door.

"Stay safe, weredragon." He whispered. Calren chuckled, though it came out as a dragon's laugh. H shrugged and turned to look down at the star sapphire, examining the almost invisible cracks along its surface. It had once been broken, but had obviously been reconstructed with magic. Very powerful magic. Calren smirked. _Antargian _magic. Obviously Eragon had done this, again with more power than he had thought possible.

A faint sound came to Calren's ears, the tap of boots on stone. Someone was sneaking up the stairs, and Calren smelled a dwarf. "I know you're there." He said quietly when the person was at his door. "Come on, I don't bite." Calren turned to see a young dwarven man at the door, her. He was wearing what looked like thin chainmail, a small knife at his belt. "Who are you?"

"I'm Maktek." He said quietly. "I'm supposed to be your bodyguard…whatever good that will do." He was no more than fourteen, but was sure-footed and mostly calm. He looked older, like an adult, but it was obvious he was young. "All there is now is rust mites, and they don't care how many there are, they just attack on sight."

"I'm Calren." He said, his voice echoing in the large chamber. "Why do people think that _I _need protecting?"

"I have no earthly idea, but it's my orders." Maktek said, shrugging. "I'm to stay by your side and keep the rust mites away. That's all they said to do, and the mites don't even come up this high."

"You think there's something more?"

"I think they want you protected but can't spare any real warriors…or any real weapons." The dwarf hit the wall. "Ill fate!" He cursed.

"Maktek…that isn't a dwarvish name is it?"

"Aye, it's a dwarvish name, but one the southern dwarves use, the ones from Altonia. My father was from that land." Maktek grumbled. "So, you have to put up with me while you're here, that's what the law has been since the war against Galbatorix."

"Fine…but you have to expect strange things around me."

"Talking swords, metal-eating mites, those accursed drakes…I don't think anything could be stranger. Always hated the drakes…nasty creatures, eat dwarves too." Calren flinched at the words.

"You have no need to hate them."

"Eh? Why do you not want them gone? They're unnatural…"

"That they are, but they deserve to live." Calren growled. "They all deserve to live, regardless if they aren't pure-breeds. I happen to have met a half-breed before…nice guy." He was talking about himself, but if he could convince someone that his kind wasn't evil… "Believe me, he deserves life."

"Whatever you say, elf, but I still think those beasts need to be exterminated…" Calren sighed, shaking his head. "Good thing your kind are close enough to the city where they can be kept at bay."

"Just sit down somewhere." Calren finally growled. "I have almost no tolerance for those that hate my friends. I hope that in time you can come to understand what they truly are, but we both need sleep for now."

"Ill fate. Why must I be put up with this elf?" Mak said in dwarvish.

"Because I am the one who's going to save your race's skin."

**I don't care if you people use my races, the Scorinians, the Feleans, the Rodkree, etc. but make sure you state that you are using them in a PM, and that you make note of me in the author's note. The Draconians, like Thissa, are something from my original fiction, and their use would make your story a crossover.**

**Oh, and I might have a nice little side-story in this, something that is related to the plot but doesn't advance it. I think Kuasta would be a good place to start, as it is far from where the main story is taking place. Maybe a good romance story to make this one more interesting…I'll think on it, but review!**


	7. Differences

**Here it is, the romance part of this story. Well…romance and mystery.**

**Oh…the info. Since the events of Broken the half-breeds have prospered in the forest called Visca, where the city of Hirath is. The most common are the half-elves and the Feleans. Feleans are the canine and feline beings often mistaken as werecreatures and they can now be found in places as far west as the Spine.**

**Another thing…this story is almost sixty years after the events of Broken. At this time Jeod has moved to Kuasta, a city south of Teirm. Look at your maps, people. One thing you should have learned by now is to not draw conclusions in my stories, as the plot can drastically change without warning. It has happened before, as anyone who has read the Riftwars will know…**

Pirick pulled his hood tighter around his head, hoping that no one saw the two bulges on top. He kept his head low so his short, furry muzzle wouldn't be seen. It was hard enough _being _a Felean without being hunted for it. A man gave him a strange look and he ducked into an alley until he passed, and then continued towards the house across the street. Pirick was one of the few wolf-breed Feleans left in the world.

Feleans were usually only four or five feet tall, and Pirick was lucky to be five feet. His brown fur was excellent camouflage in the forest outside of Kuasta, but inside the city he wore a dark green cloak to cover his form. It wrapped around him, hiding his furry legs, arms, and tail, and the hood kept his pointed, canine ears and short muzzle from sight. His golden eyes cut into the darkness, but the bright light of the day was nearly painful to him.

He knocked on the door, his fur dampening the sound. An old, rather large woman opened the door with a jerk, looking down at him angrily. "Yes, what is it?"

"Is Mana Longshanks here?" Pirick said quietly.

"Who are you?" The woman asked rudely. "I thought we had shaken off all the loonies when we left Teirm, but here's one asking for my daughter." He ignored the insult.

"My name is Pirick…I'm a friend of hers."

"She never says anything about you." The woman growled, pushing grey hair from her eyes. "Now go away."

"Then is Sir Jeod here?"

"He is, but I don't think he wants to see you."

"If he knew I was here, he would want to see me more than anything else." The woman turned and screamed.

"JEOD! ONE OF YOUR CRACK-POT FRIENDS IS HERE!" Pirick held his ears and yowled with pain at her shrill voice. "Hold on." The woman left and a man ran to the door.

"Yes? Do I know you?"

"You don't, but your daughter does. She says you're easier to talk to than Miss Helen." Pirick was pulled inside. "I am Pirick of the Felean race, and my family has long supported the Varden during the war." The gray-haired man stepped back with a gasp.

"You're a _Felean_?! You hunt humans!"

"That's only the ones from Antargis and Visca. I am of the Spine." Pirick pulled back his hood. "I am a close friend of your daughter." Jeod nodded and left, going through a door to the left. A brown-haired girl came around a corner, her hand shooting up to her mouth with a gasp.

"Pirick?! What are you doing in the city?!" She ran to him and threw her arms around his thin shoulders. "If someone sees you…" Her voice cracked.

"I'm a half-breed; we are good at not being seen." He put a paw on her back, patting gently so his claws wouldn't hurt her. "I decided it was my turn to see _you._"

"You can't take risks like this…" She held him at arms length, frowning. "Your fur is dirty…you should take some time to at least clean your face." Pirick growled and ran his claws through his fur, pulling out bits of dirt.

"I live in the forest, what do you expect? I won't be a noble anytime soon, so why look like one." He scowled, holding his hand over his head. Water flowed from his padded palm and down his form, vanishing into the floor. "There, is that enough?"

"You are always the little mage." Mana said, chuckling and rubbing his head. She was a foot taller than him, but it didn't seem to matter.

"I'm not that good, but elemental magic is another story. When it comes to summoning pure magic creatures I'm the best there is."

"I've never seen you do that before." Mana led him out into a courtyard, a lone tree in the center.

"It's a very difficult thing for most people, but I specialize in it. I guess I'm making up for not being able to use blood magic." Mana shook her head. She didn't really understand magic and most of it bored her. The two had known each other for a year now, and Mana had always seen him in the woods outside of the city. He had finally decided to come and see her himself, in her own home. "So Mana, you haven't been in our glade in more than a week now…what's wrong?"

"My father…my father received word from the last rider, the one called the Shadeslayer." She put her back to the trunk of the tree and Pirick sat on the white stone, the end of his tail showing from under his cloak.

"What happened?" Pirick asked nervously.

"The king and queen of the elves have perished and Shadeslayer has been left in charge of their son. My father was a good friend of the king, Mecrac, and he has been rather…distant…lately. I have been helping him with his work, as he isn't doing too well."

"I'm sorry."

"What's to be sorry about?" Mana asked, raising an eyebrow as he stood up. "Pir, you are a very strange man, you know?"

"I'm a Felean, and that gives me reason to be strange." Mana shook her head with a chuckle. "Seeing as I'm already in the city…" He pulled his hood up. "…let's go see the sights." Mana threw an arm around his shoulders, ruffling his fur. "And none of that 'puppy' stuff, alright?"

"Whatever you say, mutt." Pirick growled but let it slide.

Calren

"Wake up, stonehead!" A voice shouted into Calren's ear. "You sleep too soundly for an elf…get up; it's time for you to prove your worth!" Calren sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"What do you mean?" The young dwarf grumbled and pulled him to his feet.

"There are a few mites outside; they must have gotten in through the cracks in the stones when they were smaller. Here," He handed him a wooden club. "Use this, since blades will get you nowhere." Calren listened and heard shouts and a thin hissing noise. "Come on!"

Calren ran after Maktek, his bare feet flapping on the stone. The sounds of hissing increased as they went down the stairs. It would be some time before they reached the bottom, and by that time the people fighting could be dead. The mind of his dragon self tried to emerge, trying to protect him in battle, but it wouldn't do to reveal himself. Not to one who would kill him on the spot. He grabbed the dwarf in his strong arms, leaping down the steps eight at a time.

By the time they reached the bottom the battle was nearly over. Apparently, some of the rust-colored mites had burrowed into the chamber through the cracks in the stone. The beasts were about the size of small dogs, the reddish-brown of rust. They clacked their jaws upon seeing him, about eight charging at him with a loud hissing noise. Eragon was on the other side of the group of mites, Sverdar and Saphira in his hands, hacking the beetles into bits. Calren swung his club down on a mite that came close, the shell breaking with a sickening crunch. It squirmed in its own greenish insides, killing itself as he swung again at another.

They were easy to kill, but they just never backed off. They had no thought for their own safety, and now that Calren had the chance, he actually caught snatches of _words _in their hissing.

"_Kill! Kill!" _They screamed mindlessly. Eragon impaled one on a blade and launched it at another mite, sending them both flying. _"The dragon! Kill the dragon!" _Suddenly all the mites in the room rushed at Calren, backing him against the wall. His dragon self roared in his mind, wanting to be released, but he pushed it away and beat the mites from him.

"Aba'task!" Eragon barked. With a squelching sound the rest of the mites liquefied, turning into green goop that hissed on the floor. "Calren, are you alright?"

"Fine, except that the mites seem to like me more than you." He threw the bloody club away from him. "They can speak. The mites are intelligent, to a degree, but it explains why they are so cunning."

"All I heard was hissing, so it must be their language. I trust no one mentions that I used dark magic to kill them?" The few dwarves shook their heads, Orik among them.

"I don't care what you do, just kill the vermin." He cried. "We must seal the floor here to prevent the things from coming in here again." Eragon nodded, clearing the remains of the mites with magic.

"Calren, you may want to sleep down here for the night, in case the mites come again." Calren nodded, looking around at the stained floor.

It had been his first encounter with the rust mites, and they had only been young ones. What would happen if he fought the adults? And what if Eragon wasn't there to kill them with magic…

Pirick

Pirick shook his head, growling in frustration as he watched the slave auction. Though slavery had been banned, in small towns like this it still flourished. He could do nothing to help the slaves, as even a Felean mage could be killed by simple humans…and judging by the size of the crowd he would only last a few seconds. The last few people were sold and Pirick followed Mana through the crowd.

"Why must you humans be like this?" He growled. "Using your own kind as slaves…another race, that I could see, but your own kin?"

"Not all humans are like me and my family, Pirick." Mana said, leaning against him. "There's nothing one man or woman can do to stop the evil in the world."

"Shadeslayer did it."

"He has a dragon."

"It makes no difference!" Pirick snarled, looking back at the weeping slaves. "I am capable of summoning magical beings that put dragons to shame, but I do not because you humans would overpower me with sheer numbers. You, however, are different. You are not a greedy, selfish idiot like most in power."

"Calm down, Pirick." Mana said quickly. She knew that if he kept up with his anger he could do something dangerous.

"I…I'm sorry, I just can't stand to see such injustice." Mana sighed, rubbing his furry arm. "Let's…let's get away from the city before I end up killing something."

"Have you ever seen the beach?"

"Never."

"Then let's go. It's not far." Mana ran ahead and Pirick followed, his padded feet silent on the cobbled street. It wasn't far through the curving paths to the edge of the city, and the sea-ward side had no gate. Pirick smiled slightly, seeing the white, sandy expanse that led to the sea. The salty tang in the air was much stronger, and the scent was quite pleasant. Mana had been right about the sea.

Pirick was a little worried about his tracks in the sand, which were like a very large wolf's. A werewolf hunter would love to see them, and that would be a bad thing for a Felean. Silver didn't hurt him, but it was metal and it slit throats all the same as steel. Mana, however, wasn't worried about anything. She was one of those that felt more at home on the water than on the land, and Pirick followed her across the sandy beach.

The atmosphere helped him clear his mind. A dark smudge on the horizon caught his eye, and he yelped as he realized it was a person on the beach. He ran forward, his long legs taking him far ahead of Mana. It was a woman with black hair, naked and lying face down in the sand, her legs being lapped by the surf. He turned her over, and the first thing he noticed was the intricate symbol tattooed on the woman's left cheek. It was a symbol he had been taught to identify at a very young age, and all drakes and dragons feared this sign more than anything else in the world.

"Mana…" He whispered, wrapping the woman in his cloak. "This woman…is a Dragonslayer. A Dragonslayer from Nostrahk, over the sea."

"We have to help her." Pirick knew his duty, and picked her up gently, taking Mana's robe to hide his form. "Dragonslayer or not, she's a human."

"That she is." The woman blinked and muttered something deliriously. "It's alright, _Ikriark_, you are safe now."

"…find…the rider …" She muttered. "The rider…the sword…where is my sword?"

"It must be lost at sea." Mana said, looking around. "I am sorry, my lady."

"…all dead…all gone…dust…echoes…" The woman went silent, the symbol on her cheek very clear against her pale skin.

"This can't be good." Pirick said quietly. "No one can do this to a Dragonslayer; they're too strong for that. This woman must have seen horrors that would frighten the gods to be in this state, even if she was lost at sea."

"Pirick, let's go to my father." He nodded. "He'll know what to do."

**What will happen? Who knows…because I don't. Maybe this Slayer knows what happened to Saphira, maybe she **_**is **_**Saphira, and maybe it's just some random person I decided to throw in to make the story more interesting. REVIEW!**


	8. Many Meetings

**Wow…so long…to update…can't breathe…**

**Now, I have planned out this story as best as I can, and I will NOT do anything stupid this time! There will be no Rifts! There will be no more weird super-beings! There will only be a few hybrid species, and they do not play an important role in this, as they are only here because the story is a sequel to Broken! Are you all happy now? No more insanity, just a real story with a real plot, planned out in full. **

**How did I get the plot for the rest of this story? I dreamed it! Wow, that's the way to do it!**

**Anyway, here's the story… **

**-------------------------**

**Chapter 8**

**Many Meetings**

**-------------------------------**

Helen had not taken well to seeing Pirick as he really was…she had screamed so loudly a window had shattered, but after that she seemed fine…if fainting and forgetting your name for two hours was your idea of fine. The Dragonslayer had been laid on a bed in a guest room, and Pirick remained there so that he could take care of her. The woman had a fever that would have killed her, if not for Pirick's constant care and magical healing. But not even magic could do everything, and it was up to the woman to recover from her days of being at sea.

Pirick was kneeling by her side, keeping a channel open so she could take energy from him. The tattoo was always the first thing that he noticed when he looked at her, and he was now wondering why he had saved her. Dragonslayers are trained from birth to hunt and kill dragons and their kin, and they are truly the best hunters in the world. If this woman was able to recover, the drakes of Alagaesia would be in terrible danger…Pirick could only hope that she would leave the land.

Something shifted, breaking the channel Pirick had opened. The woman opened her eyes slowly, looking around. "Where am I?" Pirick swallowed.

"Kuasta, on the coast of Alagaesia." The woman smiled slightly.

"I made it…I remember…you said my sword is gone?"

"Lost at sea, yes." The woman finally realized what she was talking to, but was too exhausted to do anything but blink in surprise. "I am a Felean. You should try and sleep if you want to recover from such a fever."

"I am strong; I can stay awake." The woman growled. Pirick growled louder, holding his paw over her head.

"Don't make me force you…I can put you to sleep with magic." The woman grunted but closed her eyes, and Pirick had to smile. "You are a Dragonslayer, yes?"

"…I'm tired," Was all she said. She was either truly tired or was avoiding the question.

Pirick sighed as her breathing evened. He opened the channel once more, trying to feed her energy so that she would recover faster. It was his duty as a living being to help the woman, Dragonslayer or not. Mana came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"What's going on?"

"She's recovering, and quite well." Pirick said. "Like all of her kind, she is much stronger than she appears."

"Like your kind as well?" Pirick smiled at her statement.

"Yes…like my people."

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Calren

-------------------------------

The mites did not return, and so Calren thanked every god he had ever heard of, even though the gods did not have anything to do with his kind. The elf…dragon…whatever he was…stood by the great doors that entered the mountain, watching everything that his sharp eyes could see. All the while he was taking notes about the mountain and its inhabitants, and talking to himself about what Eragon had told him so far about his kind.

_Most of what they know is theory and speculation, laced with the things about other werecreatures. _He thought. _So most of these things may not even apply to me. Weredragons are not like either elves or dragons…we have different abilities that are unique to us and not derived from our hybrid blood. The slow-motion effect when my adrenaline gets going must be one of those things. _

"Calren." A voice said from behind him, and Calren turned around to see the dwarf from the night before standing behind him. "You should get inside, it is not safe outside."

"Who said it was safe inside?"

"…you make a good point." Maktek said, growling. "I hope the rider finds a way to get rid of these creatures once and for all, they are destroying our lives!"

"I understand."

"How can you?"

"My mother and father died a week ago." Calren said, grimacing as he remembered the day.

"…I'm sorry." Maktek shifted from one foot to the other, watching the various dwarves that passed them by. "What do you do for a living?"

"Nothing." Calren peered to the left, where he thought he saw someone familiar among the faces.

"Nothing?"

"I don't have any real skill in any craft, and I can't use magic." Calren frowned when he saw that the face he had seen was a dwarf's, and a very old one at that. "I don't have anything to do other than learn from Eragon." Calren looked down at the dwarf. "What do _you _do for a living?"

"I…I make bricks."

"You…make bricks…"

"Yes…"

"I see…"

"Indeed…"

"At least you have a job to do, unlike me." Calren turned from him, heading into the dwarven city and towards the stairs. "I have to take care of something."

"Will you be alright?"

"I'm an elf." Calren said. "I'm sure that anything that would want to kill me would be bored to death." It took a little while for the dwarf to get the joke, and he didn't laugh when he did.

Calren marched up the stairs, thinking to himself. _Once all this is cleared up, I have to find something to do with my life. _He said to his other half. _I have no skill in anything, but I can fight at least…not that it will help me. I can't use magic…I can't build anything…and I can't go around telling everyone I'm a dragon. What else is there?_

Calren reached the top of the stairs after climbing for nearly ten minutes, entering the large room where he had been the night before. He stripped off his clothes, reaching towards his other half and pulling it over himself, feeling the changes begin. It was very quick and completely painless, much less than he would have thought it would be. Most believe that the shapeshifting change is a gradual thing that is painful, but for Calren it was easy and devoid of any sensation.

Calren…or Nerlac as he was supposed to be known while in dragon form, placed his clothes with his other things, spreading his storm-grey wings. The muscles cramped a bit, and the bones popped, but it felt good to do this after so long in elf form. He rolled his shoulders to get the blood pumping, growling as pins and needles made their way across the membranes. He looked out of the room and down the stairs at the floor far below.

_You know…I don't think I've ever flown before… _Calren shuddered at the thought. _I don't think I want to try anytime soon. Whoever heard of a dragon that was afraid to fly? _Calren needed to stretch his dragon legs, but was not wanting to show himself in such a way as to come down the stairs in all his shiny glory…it would bring too much attention. _I'll just walk around a bit up here. _Calren turned back to the dragonhold, sniffing the air.

There was the scent again, the one he had smelled before when he was at the waterfall. The scent was like that of cinnamon and various other herbs, but also had a strange tang like that of blood. It was pleasant, and yet made him twitch in an almost nervous fear. He didn't know why. The scent vanished suddenly and left no trace, and now Calren smelled something else…

"Calren, where are you?" Maktek's voice came from the doorway.

_Uh oh, this isn't going to end well. _Calren swallowed, sliding into the shadows and watching the dwarf enter the dark chamber.

This time, he would put on his best act yet…no one would be able to tell that it was him…

-----------------------

Maktek

-----------------------

"Calren, where are you?" Maktek said, blinking in the darkness. Contrary to popular belief, dwarves didn't have very good eyesight in the dark. He licked his lips, striding forward into the room, looking back and forth around the room. "If the mites got him, I'll be hung for sure!"

The Star Rose shone below him with magnificent light, but the little dot of darkness tarnished this beauty. Still, it was enough that his eyes adjusted and he was able to see better. The room was empty, and Calren's things lay piled in a corner, as well as his own few belongings that he had wanted to bring with him. There was a faint rustling sound, like the wind in the leaves of Autumn, but it vanished quickly.

"Calren…where could he have gone?" Suddenly Maktek was grabbed from behind by something with harp claws, and he squealed and drew his dagger, swinging around and slashing wildly, but the dagger was grabbed in midair by…a dragon. The creature was grey with a slight tinge of blue, like a storm cloud, and the being's eyes glowed with a dim white light. "EEP!" Maktek outright squeaked with surprise, falling flat on his back while the dragon stood over him, smiling slightly.

_Well, what's going on around here? Are you sure you're in the right place, little dwarf? _The dragon said in perfect Dwarvish, showing sharp teeth. _Are you lost? Not very intelligent of you to be wandering into a dragon's domain, now is it?_

"I-I-I'm sorry, skulblaka, I didn't know you were here!" Maktek stuttered, getting to his feet. "I'll leave at once!"

_Oh come now, it was merely a joke. _The dragon dropped to all fours, smiling with lips closed now. _Not often that I see another creature around here that isn't Calren. _The dragon was a little taller than him, even when on all fours. _My name is Nerlac…what is yours, little dwarf?_

"I…I am Maktek…"

_So nervous…I can actually smell your fear, you know. _Nerlac muttered, rolling his eyes. _Come on, I don't bite…at least not anymore. _

"I…I came up to see Calren, do you know where he is?"

_I don't think I've seen him in a little while, he may have gone downstairs. _The dragon smiled and tilted his head to the side. _What is a hatchling like you doing as Calren's bodyguard? I know they wouldn't send a mere child to guard even a young elf. _

"I…" Maktek stopped. He couldn't hide it from a dragon, it was against the law to do so… "I was told to watch Calren for any sign that he may be here for hostile reasons."

_Hostile? _The dragon chuckled. _Calren?! That's the best joke I've heard in weeks! The most Calren would be able to do is kill himself and bleed on others until they drown in his own blood. Nice try though…no, I doubt Calren would do anything to hurt anything…besides the rust mites, of course. _

Maktek nodded. "Speaking of the mites…King Orik himself sent for Calren concerning the beasts…I am here to take the elf directly to him."

_Calren isn't going to be back for a while…perhaps I should go. I can tell Calren everything said from a distance. _

"He needs to be there."

…_if you say so. _The dragon said. _I have to find something to eat, anyway. I'll go find him, just wait here._

"Very well." Maktek sat down and the gray dragon left, hopping down the stairs and out of sight. The dwarf could hear the faint echoes of voices far below, and it was a dull roar that filled the chamber. A sudden noise made him jump…a rattling sound from the far wall. Maktek drew his knife as he stood, approaching the wall as the sound increased. He eyed the blank stone for a moment, and then the sound stopped.

"Looking for something?" Maktek swung around to see Calren pulling on a tunic behind him, smiling slightly. "You said Orik wants to see me?"

"_King _Orik…and yes, he said it was very important."

"Well then…let's go see him."

----------------

Calren

----------------

Calren followed the dwarf down into the central chamber, then down a hallway on the right side of the main doors. There was the faint sound of voices from around a corner at the end of the hall. The white walls were lit by lanterns of blue fire, obviously magical, and this made an effect that sent chills down his spine. As he rounded the corner, he saw that there was a tunnel in a wall leading steadily downwards, doubling back on the direction they had come. This area outside of the tunnel was lit with red lanterns instead of blue, and so was the inside of the tunnel, making it look like it was stained in blood.

Orik, Eragon, and maybe a dozen other dwarves stood around the entrance to the tunnel. Orik turned to look at Calren with a slight smile. "Ah, Calren, you decided to show up, I see." He muttered. "I believe I must explain what is going one here…long ago there was a great battle here in Tronjheim, in which Eragon himself fought. Here he slew a shade named Durza. The shade led an army of urgals into this place with a series of tunnels under the mountain…this tunnel is connected to them. The mites from last night had come up through the ceiling of one of these tunnels, and we had sent some workers to seal this hole from the bottom…

"They…never returned. Some of my best friends and warriors were among the group, and I believe that they are still alive somewhere down in the tunnels. Eragon has scryed them, and they appear to be unconscious in a dark chamber nearby. We must get them back here alive, before something terrible happens."

"There is more." Eragon said. "A larger rust mite was seen recently, a sort of queen if the reports are right. If we kill it then their rate of reproduction could slow." Calren chewed his bottom lip.

"And you want me to go…why?"

"Because you can understand them." Another dwarf said, and he received a glare from Orik.

"Yes, it is true. If they do speak, then perhaps we can make an effort to find out more of their motives. That is where you come in. I need you to listen to them, to find out why they attack like this…and if they are truly intelligent."

"Here, Calren, take this…you'll need it." Eragon handed a sword to Calren, who stared down at it with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't really know much about swordplay…"

"Better to have it in case you need it…it is better than nothing." Eragon placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think that you will be just fine down there. I'll be there in case anything really bad happens, but I think you can trust your own instinct with your survival. You are born to survive, remember…"

"Come…" Orik shouldered a large hammer, one that seemed to cast a faint white glow about it. "…we take the fight to them now!"

**Sorry for the long wait! I have this all planned out, too, so updates should be more frequent.**


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